Lemi b



(No Model.)

L. B. DENTON.

GASTER CASE. No. 594,937. Patented Dec. 7, .1897.-

Witnesses: Inv eeee r. fiM

I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEMI B. DENTON, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO Z. CLARK THWING, OF SAME PLACE.

v CASTER-CAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,937, dated December '7, 1897.

Application filed September 22, 1894. Serial No. 523,822. (No model.)

' the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cases for the support offurniture-casters;

and its objects are, first, to provide a case that will support any ordinary furniture-cas ter and avert the danger of its falling out when the leg of the article to which it is attached is raised from the floor, and, second, to provide a case adapted to receive and support any ordinary caster, from which the caster may be easily removed when desired. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of the lower end of a piece of furniture with my case, also in section, in place and a caster inserted; and Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe case alone. Fig. 3 is for a caster-shank.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

This case is designed as an improvement upon the caster attachment secured to me by Letters Patent No. 525,806, issued September 11, 1894, and averts the danger of breaking the caster-shank at the bottom of the slit and also averts the necessity of procuring a special caster to supply the place of a broken one.

My case may be made either of malleable casting or of steel plate and may be made short enough to be drawn from a single piece of steel plate and still be of sufficient length to support anyordinary caster, which, though very desirable, is not attainable with any other caster-case now manufactured.

In lieu of splitting the caster-shank, as in my previous appliance hereinbefore referred to, I split the upper end of the case, as at B, a short distance down from the top, so that it may be sprung open to admit the ball 0, at the upper end of the caster-shank, to pass through easily, and close sufliciently to prevent it from dropping out without a slight amount of pulling at the lower end. This slot or split may be straight and of any convenient width; but I prefer to have the lower end a little wider than the upper end, as it greatly facilitates the springing properties of the sides, though to make theupper end tain other cases of similar construction now in use. The solid body also enables me to fit them into the timber very tightly, thus averting the danger of their becoming loose and falling out. In order to render this form'of case available, it is necessary to provide for room in the receiving-hole A in the legAfor the free opening and closing of the end of the case when the caster-shank is inserted, and for this purpose I make the upper end of the case B from the bottom of the slot B to the end somewhat smaller than the body of the case, so that it may open freely without coming in contact with the timber of the leg. The upper end of the case is left open. The caster Ois inserted in the usual manner, as in Fig. 1.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a case for furniture-casters, a solid body extending up for a distance from the trackplate, the upper end contracted or made smaller and slotted down to the line of contraction so that it can be made tospring apart, and the end left open so that the bulbous endof a caster -stem may be forced through and supported by resting upon the end of the case, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Signed at Grand Rapids, Michigan, September 19, 1894.

LEMI B. DEN TON. In presence of-- F. L. STEWART, I. J. CILLEY. 

